Home is about having a space you love.
We all need to feel comfortable enough in our skins to relax as humans. Believe it or not, feline friends have similar needs.
Paula Plummer, a certified veterinary technician and feline advocate at Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, said that creating an environment where pets can roam and be themselves directly correlates with reducing a variety of medical and behavioral problems.
Pet owners need to create a cat-friendly environment. This means plenty of space to roam, lots of litter boxes, lots of food and freshwater, and lots of activities. This will create a home environment that pets love.
Plummer believes toys can be a great source to entertain cats. Pet owners can test toys to discover what their cat loves. Some cats may prefer toys with catnip while others may prefer toys with bells and lasers.
She said that it can be difficult to find the right toy for your cat, due to the many options available.
You can also bond with your pets by creating lasting relationships.
Plummer stated that playing with cats and their favorite toys can be a great way to spend quality time together.
This routine is important for cats’ stress and anxiety.
Plummer explained that stressed cats will display negative behaviors such as pulling out their hair, scratching or inappropriate urination.
This is why owners can create an environment that encourages natural behavior in their cats and help them to reduce stress.
Cats who enjoy scratching on posts can find a great way to release stress. If a cat is allowed to scratch only these posts at a young age, it will be able to adopt this natural behavior without the owner having to pay for it.
Plummer stated that environmental enrichment can help to reduce the incidence of behavioral and medical problems in cats over time. Your cat will live a happy life without having to express themselves negatively.
Puzzle feeders are another way to enrich your cat’s environment. They encourage natural hunting behavior. Another way to encourage this activity is for owners to hide food in the room.
Plummer recommends that any behavioral or medical concerns such as improper elimination or behavioral changes arise. This is the best way to address those concerns.
There are many ways pet owners can customize their home to meet their pets’ needs. Although these small changes may seem insignificant, they can have a significant impact on the mental health of feline friends.
Pet Talk is a service of Texas A&M University, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. Stories can be viewed on the web at vetmed.tamu.edu/news/pet-talk. Send suggestions for future topics to [email protected]
